Kerala logs Rs 487 crore liquor sales in pre-Onam week

In the pre-Onam week in 2018, there was a slight sales drop of about Rs 17 crore.

Defying headlines on demand slowdown, Kerala has notched Rs 487-crore Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) sales, in the week preceding its major festival, Onam. This is Rs 30 crore higher than liquor sales in the same period in the previous year. Bevco and Consumerfed — two Kerala government outfits — constitute the monopoly distributors of IMFL in the state.

“Since all IMFL retailing outlets in the state are closed on the Thiruvonam day (September 11), the highest sales per day, was on the previous day (September 10), valued at Rs 90.32 crore,” said G Sparjan Kumar, managing director, Bevco. According to him, liquor worth Rs 88 crore was sold on the corresponding day in the previous year.

Despite the floods of August 2018 that displaced about 10 lakh people in 2018-2019, Bevco sold IMFL worth Rs 14,508 crore. This is not inclusive of the IMFL sold in hotels and bars.

In the pre-Onam week in 2018, there was a slight sales drop of about Rs 17 crore. In 2017, sales touched Rs 440.16 crore for a 10-day period prior to Onam. As in rice, textiles, vegetables and milk, Kerala is dependent on other states for its hard drinks, too. The state procures about 40% of beer and 7% of IMFL for its consumption from other parts of the country.